Project LION (Learning In Our Neighborhoods): A Community Partnership
Project LION: A Community Partnership is funded by Entergy Charitable Foundation through
Southeastern Foundation awarded to Dr. Gerlinde Beckers.
Southeastern Louisiana University and its community partners, will use the Entergy
Charitable Foundation funding to support Project LION "Learning in Our Neighborhood" afterschool project in Hammond, Louisiana. This initial after-school project created through
Hammond Youth Education Alliance provides affordable after-school academic and enrichment
activities for middle-school students within their neighborhoods. The project also provides realworld experience in diverse settings for Southeastern teacher candidates.
Most middle-school participants of Project LION after-school program come from lowincome families with low educational attainment levels. Currently, 28% of Hammond's high
school students drop-out, and by age 25, 23.5% have not earned a high school diploma. School
attendance rates fall dramatically in grades 6-8 and suspension rates increase during high
school, and of all 2013 arrests made in Hammond, 5.35% were juveniles. Many students lack
positive role models and have scarce opportunities. The most successful students are those
whose after-school time is occupied with enrichment activities that reinforce and extend
classroom learning. Children with unoccupied time are more at risk for engaging in unhealthy
and/or delinquent behaviors, further widening what has been called the "Opportunity Gap".
Generally speaking, middle-class families are able to invest in extracurricular opportunities. For
families living in poverty, however, the cost of extracurricular activities is often prohibitive. As a
result, children from these families tend to fall behind their middle-class counterparts, both
academically and socially. The cost of the after-school program is based on family income, and
the fees per child range from $5/week to $30/week. Scholarship assistance will be provided by
Project LION through the Entergy Charitable grant which will allow children unable to
participate because they lack the financial resources the opportunity to attend the Hammond
After school program.
Project LION is a community partnership of Southeastern, Tangipahoa Parish School
Board, and the City of Hammond. Southeastern teacher candidates, certified Tangipahoa
parish classroom teachers, and community volunteers, are working with high-need, middleschool students within their neighborhoods. Project LION aims to address the "Opportunity
Gap" by providing programming that focuses on school engagement, academic performance,
and personal and social skills. While the primary focus is to benefit the students, the teacher
candidates will also benefit from the field experience making them real-world ready to address
the "Opportunity Gap" issues they will likely encounter as certified teachers.